Track-drill.



No. 787,685. Q I PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

w. E. LUDLOW.

TRACK DRILL. 1

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1904.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W1 zwEssEs INVENTOR MWaizww No. 787,685; I PATENTED APR. 18, 1905. W. E. LUDLOW.

TRACK DRILL.

APPLICATION I'ILED JAN. 16. 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 PATENTED APR. 18, 1905.

' INVENTEIR.

W. E. LUDLOW.

TRACK DRILL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1904.

MTNESSES UNITED STATES Patented April 18, 1905. T

PATENT OFFICE.

TRACK-DRILL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 787,685, dated April 18, 1905.

Application filed January 16,1904. Serial No. 139,292.

To all whom, it may concerw Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. LUDLOW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Track-Drills, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to a machine adapted to drill transverse holes in track-rails after they are laid. The object of the invention is to provide a machine for such purposes which shall operate efficiently under all of the various conditions which arise in practical use.

The invention may be here summarized as consisting of the combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed for enabling the machine to drill the rails from either the outside or the inside thereof, for enabling the machine to drill either rail without turning the machine or the drill-frame, for transmitting power to the drill-shaft both to rotate it and to move it endwise, and for vertically adjusting said drill-shaft.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying this invention. The motor is not shown in this view, but its position is indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the plane of line 3 3 of Fig.2. Fig. 4 isa vertical longitudinal sectional view of the drill-shaft and mechanism immediately associated therewith. Fig. 5 is a horizontal view in the plane indicated by line5 of Fig. 2 of the hollow standard and the vertical post i and shaft passing through the same; and Fig.

;6 is a plan View, partly in section, of the ratchet-feed by which the drill-shaft is moved endwise.

The machine shown in the drawings includes arigid rectangular truck-frame A. At the four corners of this frame are mounted the flanged wheels O, which are adapted to ride upon the rails F. (Shown only in Fig. 2.) Two bars B B are secured rigidly upon the side members a a of this truck-frame and are projected beyond .both sides thereof. In the projecting ends at one side the derailing wheel or wheels H H are mounted. In the specific construction shown two of such wheels are: employed, and they are secured to an axle h,

which is mounted in the yoke-pieces 6 sethat end of the machine, andthereby to bring the derailing-wheels H H against the-ground,

. which permits the machine to be easily and quickly removed from or replaced upon the track. The construction of truck and the arrangement of derailing-wheels herein shown and above described are not claimed'in this application, but in my divisional application filed February 15, 1904, Serial No. 193,564.

The hollow tubular standard D serves as a support for the derailing mechanism. It is provided with feet d, which rest upon the bars B B, ordinarily at about the center of the truck-frame, and they are clamped upon said bars by any suitable clampsas, for example, the U-bolts 61 shown.

A vertically-hollow post E passes through the standard D, projecting both above and below the same. It has on one side a vertical rib e, which passes through a slot (Z in the v standard D and has on its outer edge rackteeth 0'. These rack-teeth are engaged by a worm-wheel g, secured to a shaft G, which is rotatably mounted in brackets d which rise from one of the feet d of the standard D. A worm-shaft K, having an operating-handle is, is also rotatably mounted in the same brackets d and carries a worm is, which engages with the worm-wheel G. It is by the mechanism described that the post E and the parts supported thereby may be moved up and down as required.

Ashaft M extends vertically down through the post E, being rotatably mounted in bearings secured to theends of said post, in which bearings said shaft has no endwise movement.

A beveled gear m, secured to the upper end frame carries the bearings for the rotatable drill-shaft T, said shaft being movable endwise in its said bearings. A beveled gear 6 is splined to the drill-shaft and is in mesh with a beveled gear 177?, secured to the lower end of the shaft M, with which it always remains in mesh, while the drill-shaft moves endwise. Surrounding the drill shaft is a sleeve J, which serves as one of the bearings for said shaft. This sleeve is movable endwise through a piece 7* of the frame B, said sleeve being prevented from rotating in said end piece by a longitudinal tongue j. Collars t t are secured upon the drill-shaft close to the ends of the sleeve J, so that by moving said sleeve in either direction the shaft will be correspondingly moved. There may be antifriction-balls V interposed between the ends of this sleeve and-said collar. This sleeve is provided on its upper side with a rack-bar j, which is engaged by a pinion 12, secured to a shaft P, mounted above and at right angles to the drill-shaft in the sides of the frame member R. This shaft carries also a worm-wheel p, which engages with a worm g on the lower end of a vertical shaft Q, the lower end of which is rotatable in bearings which are a part of the frame R, while the upper end of said shaft is rotatable in bearings on the end of an arm 9, secured to the upper end of the post E. A hand-wheel g on the upper end of this shaft furnishes means for turning it, and thereby moving the drill-shaft endwise. The shaft may, however, be turned mechanically to feed the drill shaft in either direction while the rails are being drilled by means of a ratchet-wheel Q2, secured to said shaft, which ratchet is engaged by a spring-pawl w, mount ed in one arm of a rocker W, the other arm of which is connected with an eccentric-strap .2, which engages with an eccentric m on the shaft M. This pawl has a ratchet-like tooth w for engagement with the ratchet-wheel, against which the pawl is pushed by a spring 4,0 The pawl is, however, of cylindrical form and is capable of being withdrawn and turned so that the flat side of the tooth will be presented to the ratchet-wheel in the opposite direction. The oscillation of the rocker will through the described mechanism turn the shaft Q, and thereby feed the drill-shaft; but the direction in which the ratchet-wheel will be turned will depend upon the position of the tooth w relative thereto. Hooks X are pivoted to the frame R and pass over the side frame members down into engagement with the rails, so that as the rails are being drilled these hooks relieve the frame R and the rest of the structure described from the strain of the thrust.

While the shaftT is intended to be rotated in opposite directions in order to use one or the other of the drills, it may, however, be capable of rotating in but one direction and be provided with right and left hand drills to accommodate such rotation in the drilling operation.

As the-mechanism is shown it can drill a hole in either rail, but from the inside thereof. It is sometimes found impossible, however, because of the presence of switches, to drill the rails from the inside. When such a condition arises, the drill-framethat is, the standard D and the parts carried therebyare disconnected from the bars B and placed upon the projecting ends 6 of the same bars. No other change is required to adapt the mechanism for drilling rails from the outside thereof.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. In a track-drilling machine, the combination of a drill-truck, a suspended supporting mechanism including a horizontal frame member, a drill-shaft rotatable in said suspended frame and capable of moving endwise in its bearings, mechanism for rotating said drillshaft, a non-rotatable sleeve embracing the drill-shaft between collars thereon; said sleeve being provided with a rack, a pinion engaging said rack, a worm-wheel attached to said pinion, a vertical shaft carrying a worm engaging with said worm-wheel, a toothed wheel secured to said vertical shaft, a rocker mounted upon said shaft, a reversible springpawl carried by said rocker, and mechanism for operating said rocker, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a track-drilling machine, the combination of a wheel-truck, a tubular drill-frame supported thereon, a tubular post vertically movable through said frame, means for moving it vertically, a frame for supporting a drill-shaft secured to the lower end of this post, a drill-shaft rotatably mounted in said frame and movable endwise in its bearings, a beveled gear splined to the drill-shaft, a vertical shaft passing down through said post and having on its lower end a beveled gear engaging the beveled gear on the drill-shaft, means for rotating said vertical shaft, an eccentric secured to the upper end thereof, a non-rotatable endwise movable sleeve embracing the drill-shaft between collars fixed thereon, a vertical shaft, a ratchet-wheel secured to said shaft, mechanism intermediate IIO In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM E. LUDLOW.

Witnesses:

M. H. GARDNER, B. W. BROOKETT. 

